1. Home for the Holidays: This got the number one spot because it brings the biggest plot twist and potential status quo changer in the form of Katie and Maddy bonding in New York. There’s also the possibility that she’ll move to NY permenantly to live with her father and boring Beth so Maddy really begins to question whether she wants to continue her time as cheerleader or go back to her artistic roots. So yes, a lot of plot done here that moves Maddy’s characterization and the story along. Also Laine’s crush on Dustin Parker (a clear Justin Bieber ripoff) is just hilarious here.

2. Confessions of a Wannabe Cheerleader: I love Evan’s work here in creating such a distinct, cheerleading obssessed voice in Maddy when she fails during her Titan’s tryout and ends up on the dreaded B-team. But as she is the most cheer-happy person on this side of California she puts in the work to make this ragtag group into cheer boot camp experts. I admire how Maddy begins to see each of her teammates more than the losers she first saw them as but as people (with some coordination problems). It also has a decent mother-daughter subplot as she rebels against her mother’s smothering and Maddy gains a new cheerleader friend in the form of Jacqui that bolster her self-esteem after her disasterous tryout.

3. Pyramind of One: Maddy’s best friend puts her in a tough spot when Laine begins investigating whether the cheerleading team really deserves its big budget. She wants to be supportive of her friend but she also really doesn’t want to be on the other end of the Titans’ wrath. Furthermore, she’s been real busy preparing her team for their first invitational but as she’s handling all the major routines, the burnout is really breaking her back. No wonder she feels like she’s holding up the entire pyramid.

4. Revenge of the Titan: This one brings things back to cheerleading plot after the fourth book lost its a way (see below) as the Grizzlies harbor some resentment against their former teammate Diane after she went to the Titans. A little is directed toward Maddy but as she stuck by their team, that’s less so. However, Clementine is still aiming her ire at Maddy in full force though and that’s when her life gets crazy as if her final romantic revalation with Evan wasn’t enough. It does a good job in bringing everyone to peace and giving Grizzlies their time to shine after being losers so long.

5. Beven vs Evan and Other High School Rivalries: While the plot is engaging, the focus on Maddy’s love triangle is kinda tired as anyone can guess the ending of it. And since the focus is mainly on the prom and Maddy’s love woes, the cheerleading subplot falls to the wayside even though it has such an interesting idea with Katie grooming Maddy to take over as captain once she leaves. It’s also the start of losing Maddy’s creative illustrations so it is less diary-like.